Cart Champ Car Engine Power

[Robin Plummer]

Over the last 5 years boost presure has been reduced and revs have gone up to componsate. Does anyone know what the actual power outputs are at the moment for each Champ Car manufacturers engines?

The last time I heard acurate figures was 1994 when it was said that the Penske Merc (Illmor) 3.3 OHV put out 950bhp in race trim and 1026bhp in qualifing for Indy. The DOHC 2.65 engines were about 900bhp in race trim.

[Dino IV]

The rough 900 bhp figure is the one I only know off as well, Robin.

I am also wondering if anyone knows what the current IRL engines are putting on the scales as I read the following on GrandPrix.com:

CART votes for 3.5-liter normally-aspirated engines

THE CART team owners met in Houston on Thursday and voted that in 2003 the cars should be powered by 3.5-liter normally-aspirated engines. The move is significant for two reasons: the first is that it means that the engine formula is now basically the same as the rival Indy Racing League, which will mean that manufacturers will be able to compete in either series (or both). It is also significant as many of the European manufacturers have experience in the development of 3.5-liter engines and so the research and development necessary to become involved in CART would be much less than is currently the case. It is expected that the CART engines will be the same specification as the IRL engines but will not have any rev limits.

In recent days Tony George of the IRL has been suggesting that there is about to be an announcement about a new engine manufacturer in the series. George will not say which company is involved.

IRL's rise to prominence continues with the announcement on Thursday that the series will next year include a 400-mile event at the California Speedway on March 24 next year. This has led to speculation that it will revive the concept of what was known as "The Triple Crown", the three races at Indianapolis, Michigan and in California. In the old days the Triple Crown featured the West Coast race at Ontario Motor Speedway.

George also confirmed that the IRL has had discussions about the possibility of an event at Daytona International Speedway but says that there are no plans for such an event in 2002 or 2003.

Anyone any educated guesses on CART or IRL engines?

[KC]

Tom Kelley of Kelley Racing, the team that fields Dismore and Sharp in the IRL, claims they are making just shy of 700 horsepower from their Ilmor-tuned IRL engines. I think your 900 horsepower figure is correct for race trim in CART. Rumors have abounded that Honda and Toyota had made as much as 950 horsepower for qualifying by overrevving the engines.

[Robin Plummer]

If as expected the 3.5 NA formula is adopted and rev limits are not impossed (it's not clear if air valves etc wil be allowed). If revs reach 15,000-16,000rpm like the current units are with steel springs the engine stands to make a decent amount of power (allthough not as realible as the current turbo unit's I would imagine). The 1994 3.5 V8 Ford Zetec-R used in F1 kicked out about 730-750bhp @ 13,500rpm. 7 Years on and experience with higher revs in CART and F1 (even without air valves) do you expect power to be in the region of 800bhp?

Bearing in mind IRL engines are producing well over 650bhp with a 10,700rpm lmit?

[KC]

I think the 750 horsepower range will be attainable immediately without rev-limiters. All of the companies currently supplying engines in CART all currently build F1 engines as well and some of this technology will surely trickle down.

[Dino IV]

When airboxes will be allowed unrestrictedly the 3.5 l engines will blast past F1 bhp figures easily I guess. However I don't know what the current IRL regulations are on airboxes, nor what they will be in CART. Anyone any info from the current IRL situation?